First off can we get this stickied?
Second, posted below is the information needed to submit your car for teh 2009 Cuda-Challenger.com calender!
2009 Cuda-Challenger Calendar Submissions & Rules
Ok so we are off to an early start. The plan is to have the calendars in your greasy hands by mid December the latest. In order for that to happen, there are some rules you must follow. Pay close attention as I don’t want anyone to miss out.
1. Take a new picture of your Cuda/Challenger (or both) in a setting you see fit. Set your camera to take the highest possible resolution photo with the finest detail, hopefully 1600x1200 or better (prefer 2240x1680 or higher). Submit your picture to john @ chargerboard . com (without the spaces)
2. The subject of the picture is your car, it has to be your car you submit. I will also say no models or people in the picture. Photoshopping of elements is not allowed. Also please don’t crop your picture and if you do, make sure to submit the original.
3. When submitting your picture, include your name, your board name, your year of car and engine size. If you have a preferred month(s), you can list that too, but no guarantees, just something extra to keep you in suspense.
4. Submit your picture by OCTOBER 3rd 2008 in order to enter the voting - again john @ chargerboard . com (no spaces).
5. October 5th voting will start for the 12 main photos. We will have voting open for 10 days (October 15th) in which you can vote for your 12 favorite photos.
6. Once the voting has ended, the calendars will be set for printing.
7. Orders will be taken from the time of voting, October 5th to October 20th. We will order enough calendars for those that place an order between that time frame and then 15% extra for any late comers or if people decided they want more.
8. The cost of the calendar has not been determined, postage has gone up and I’m sure the printing cost has gone up, but hopefully it can be still under $15. We will have to determine where the additional funds go to, they can go to the Cuda Guy fund like the 2008 did or toward web forum funds.
So that is the info on the calendars. Now if you are wondering about who is eligible, well everyone is, if they were in last years or not. This is how it will work. Some people feel that past winners should not be eligible for the following year. I feel that they can be but the picture has to be different, completely different, not the same setting/background. Also for the past winners, their submission will be listed in BOLD. This way for those that feel a past winner should not be eligible will know and could simply not vote for them. Again I see no harm in a past winner submitting a new and different picture.
On the topic of pictures, here are some hints to get a great photo.
1. Study the background and make sure nothing is distracting. So look out for signs, trees, fence post, anything from growing out of your car.
2. Make sure the rims are facing the camera, don’t turn the tire so that it points at the camera, make sure the rim faces the camera.
3. Contrast, make sure your car stands out from the background.
4. Keep the background simple, don’t take a picture of your car at a shopping center parking lot, or any lot that has lines running across the picture, they can get distracting too.
5. Fill the frame, the subject is your car, so make sure it fills the frame completely, but not so that the car is touching the edges. It could get cut off during the printing process.
6. Angle, don’t take just a straight on or side shot. Look at some of the car magazines and see how they shoot their cars, ¾ shots and so on are the best. Of course there is always an exception to the rule.
7. Even in direct sunlight use a fill flash, it helps soften the shadows and fills in some detail too.
8. Park the car so that the light is at your back. I find the best times to shoot are actually overcast days versus sunny cloudless days, of course it depends on what you want in the background too.
9. Avoid shots of your car on the grass, you don’t drive around on the grass so why take a picture there.
10. Have fun, just remember some of these tips and go get that great shot.
If anyone feels any information is missing or stated incorrectly, please let me know and I can make the appropriate changes.
